The public outrage after a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge sentenced a Stanford University student to six months in jail for sexual assault led California lawmakers to respond in a familiar way. Two weeks after the sentencing, two Northern California legislators introduced a bill to ensure that anyone convicted of a similar crime in the future would receive a mandatory prison sentence.

California lawmakers on Monday passed a bill that would require prison time for those convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious victim, an effort inspired by the sentencing of former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner. The bill received unanimous support in the state assembly, and was also supported by Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen.

Former Stanford University student Brock Turner, who was convicted of raping a woman and later sentenced to six months in jail - a penalty criticized for its leniency - is scheduled to be released from jail on Friday, according to public records.

A rape kit is often seen as the first step in bringing a rapist or assailant to justice. But for Amanda Nguyen, it's something she has to contend with twice a year - every six months, she must fight to keep her rape kit in the system.

A nationwide effort is kicking off Thursday to fix a patchwork of state laws that allow many cities to destroy rape kits before they're tested, sometimes in a matter of weeks. The national campaign is led by a nonpartisan victims rights group called Rise, which gained acclaim by getting an historic survivors bill of rights signed into federal law last year.

Survivors of sexual assault are often in shock or suffering from trauma, but one Louisiana District Attorney couldn't possibly care less if it leads to a conviction. Democrat Leon Cannizzaro explained to WWL radio that sometimes a crime victim needs...